Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Thursday nominated state Sen. Andrew J. McDonald to the state’s Supreme Court. If confirmed by the legislature, he would become the first openly gay justice of the state Supreme Court.

McDonald, 46, was an influential legal voice as co-chairman of the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee before he left the legislature two years ago to become Malloy’s top legal adviser as general counsel, reported the Connecticut Mirror.

“In my estimation, Andrew possesses a unique ability to understand, research, analyze, and evaluate legal issues,” Malloy said. “These are skills that have served him well previously, and I’m sure those same skills will allow him to be a great jurist on the Connecticut Supreme Court.”

McDonald, who first ran for the state Senate in 2002 as an openly gay politician, was co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee in 2005, when the Connecticut state legislature passed a civil unions law that gave many of the same rights as marriage to same-sex couples.

The law was seen as a stepping stone to marriage, a right the state Supreme Court gave same-sex couples in 2008.

Prior to becoming a legislator, McDonald served as city attorney in Stamford when Malloy was mayor.

Like the governor, McDonald was a supporter in the legislature of marriage equality and transgender rights.

“It was my pleasure to perform the marriage of Andrew and Charles (Gray) while I was the mayor of Stamford,” said Malloy. “It was equally my pleasure to know that Andrew, when confirmed by the General Assembly, will be the first openly gay appellate jurist to serve in Connecticut’s history.”